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photo by Donald Kinney
Point Reyes National Seashore is a vast and odd-shaped area that juts out into the Pacific Ocean, forming bays, beaches, and beauty of unimaginable proportions. Time is on a different scale--this is not a good place to visit if you are in a hurry or on some sort of schedule. Travel to Point Reyes and you might be here for a while exploring many of its nooks-and-crannies.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Constructed in the 1860s by Solomon Pierce, Pierce Point Dairy became the most successful "butter rancho" in the Point Reyes area. Beginning in the 1880s the ranch was leased to a series of tenants. In the mid-1930s it was sold to the McClure family which operated it as a Grade B dairy until about 1945 when dairy ranching ceased after 90 years.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
The old dairy includes the 1869 and earlier sections of the two-story main house, the tank house, school, woodshed, carpenter shop, blacksmith shop, dairy, horse barn, slaughter house, hay barn, hog sheds and pens and woodshed.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Even though Point Reyes National Seashore was established in 1962, a number of privately owned dairy farms continue to operate in the area.
Point Reyes remains a place of exquisite solitude and beauty.
Perhaps I should trade-in my morning cup of nerve-jarring coffee for a tall glass of fresh milk. The teat of nature. A fine drink that comes with an instant mustache. Food from the gods. Slurp, gulp. Ah, that's good stuff!
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1 comment:
Nice story on Pt. Reyes and the history of dairy farming. As you know, it's one of my favorite places. I want to be there now.
JB
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